"Granddaddy went to be with the Lord today," my mom told me and my 8-year-old sister Julie. We both broke into tears. I was 11 and hadn't cried for four years when my sister gave my pet hamster mothballs, but she didn't know the difference.

Soon it was time to depart for Florida and face the horrible truth that my best friend, my advisor, my tennis companion, my big buddy , my grandfather was gone.

The plane trip was long and boring. I remember there was a movie, but I couldn't pay attention to it. When we arrived at my grandparents' apartment in Florida, it was filled with flowers of every kind. It cheered me up a little.

The food was amazing and my grandmother wouldn't have to buy groceries for a month. It made me feel good to know how much people loved my grandfather. That night my whole family went to dinner at my grandfather's favorite restaurant. When the waiter began to explain the specials to us, my mind drifted off. I remembered six years ago when Grandy had first taken me here and I had ordered a hamburger but hadn't finish it. He was so surprised. "Little Buddy, you need a lot of food to grow big and strong," he told me. So I finished it. So many memories of times we had together. It was so ...

"Paul, the man asked you what you want for dinner," my mom reminded me.

"A hamburger," I answered. During dinner, everybody was serious until my Uncle David put a napkin on his head and everybody, except me, went into hysterics. How could they do that?! Nothing was funny. On the way home everyone was quiet.

"Beep," screamed my alarm clock. Oh, no, I thought. Another day of school. And then I remembered that today was the funeral.

Tears of all shapes and puddles of all sizes dripped down my cheeks that day. It was as if my heart had gone with him. We were all waiting for the limo. It was a beautiful day. The palm trees glistened in the bright Florida sun and a warm breeze blew off the Gulf. Five years ago on a day just like this, Grandy and I were splashing around when I saw a stingray. He held me so I wouldn't get hurt. The long sleek limousine finally arrived and we all piled in to bid our Grandy farewell. n